First 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale by Scaglietti tops $26 million in Monterey

The appeal of works competition Ferraris is their exclusivity, as the available population of cars is often just a fraction of total production. Maranello built 453 examples of the 275 GTB for consumers, but only three 275 GTB/C Speciales were assembled to contest the 1965 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The first car built, chassis 06701, never saw competition in period, but its rarity and documented history helped it achieve a price of $26.4 million (including fees) last Saturday, making it the top seller at RM’s Monterey auction.

Photo by Darin Schnabel, courtesy RM Auctions.

The 1964 275 GTB/C Speciale models were intended to be the evolution of the legendary 250 GTO, which had dominated GT endurance racing since the 1962 season. Each of the three 275 GTB/C Speciales were hand-built, utilizing a lightweight tube-frame chassis wrapped in aluminum body panels, with power coming from a 3.3-liter V-12 engine. In competition trim, six Weber 38 DCN carburetors fed the Type 213 engine, which used oversize valves in modified cylinder heads, along with a less restrictive exhaust system, to produce an output of 320 horsepower.

Photo by Darin Schnabel, courtesy RM Auctions.

A dispute between Ferrari and the FIA over homologation threatened to preclude the 275 GTB/C from the 1965 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but a late agreement was struck and a single 275 GTB/C, chassis 06885, was entered into the race by Ecurie Francorchamps. With drivers Willy Mairesse and Jean Blanton at the wheel, the 275 GTB/C finished third overall (behind a pair of Ferrari 250LMs) and first in the GT class. The viability of the platform was proven, and Ferrari would go on to produce another dozen 275 GTB/C models for the 1966 racing season.

Photo by Darin Schnabel, courtesy RM Auctions.

Chassis 06701 was sold to its first owner in May of 1965, and subsequently converted to road use with the addition of a rear bumper and front half-bumpers. Records indicate the car’s color was changed from Rosso Cina to Grigio Scurro Metalizatto at the factory, though the light silver center stripe would be added later. Nose vents, similar in style to those seen on 250 GTOs, would also be added to improve airflow to the engine, eliminating overheating issues when the 275 GTB/C was driven hard (or driven in traffic).

Though the car has passed through a string of owners (and liveries) over the years, it retains its original engine and has a well-documented ownership history, factors that almost certainly contributed to the selling price. Its rarity (and, perhaps, its status as the first model built) also added to the equation, and in light of the new world auction record set by a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO at Bonhams, chassis 06701’s $26.4 million selling price was understandable.

Originally owned by Steve McQueen, this 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 sold for $10.175 million. Photo by author.

Howard Arbituresays:

August 21, 2014 9:19 am

I know, people probably hold their breath now when they see my name in the comments on threads like this, what’s he gonna say now? I apologize for that. I’ll behave. I just want to say, my ’63 Rambler American( which is about as opposite as one could get from this car) had an oil filter in the same place as the Ferrari 275 GTB/C. Why don’t all cars have that now? You have to be Harry Houdini to get at some filters nowadays.

August 21, 2014 11:18 am

Cord Pilotsays:

August 21, 2014 12:23 pm

Cord Pilotsays:

August 21, 2014 12:20 pm

Howard, the reason cars are not easy to work on anymore, well the companies that make those cars do not want us working on them. They want us paying them to work on them.

Never apologize for having your own opinion. Even when it dose not follow popular opinion. It is the act of a person questioning what is happening that forces everyone to think. Those who cannot form an opinion are those who do not wish to think.

August 23, 2014 10:28 am

jugsays:

August 21, 2014 10:13 am

Howard Arbituresays:

August 21, 2014 10:41 am

Hi jug, actually, when you shut the motor off, the filter drains down back into the pan( after a while). It’s the ones that hang down, is where you get a bath. What I would do, is punch a hole in the filter with a phillips screw driver, and let the filter drain, eliminating the bath.

jugsays:

August 21, 2014 10:59 am

Bill Fraleysays:

August 21, 2014 4:53 pm

Yep
Two each
PH 2804….probably
My 330 GTC
Chassis #11247
(Build sheet 1968)
They actually had a plant in Gastonia NC
I love it
And you do the same hole trick with the filters on top…
Do it before removal and it lets air in to completely drain them to the sump
Also
One of the 3 each GTB-Cs was owned by Foreign Cars
Italia/S Barney and spent time in Greensboro N.C.
…ex-FCA judge; 330GTCs….Pebble Beach, 1994

August 21, 2014 12:19 pm

John C. Kovalosays:

August 21, 2014 12:29 pm

As breathtakingly beautiful as an automobile gets: it’s perfect from the front, the side, the rear, inside and out, and with the hood up as well as down. The engine’s not as shiny-spectacular as an early E-Type Jag, but has an unmatched dignified-but-powerful look.
Whoever owns it now, I hope you realize what a lucky bastard you are.
And DRIVE it once in a while, for cryin’ out loud.

idigoldcarssays:

August 21, 2014 12:40 pm

I told some friends about the Ferrari that sold for $38m+. They were dumbfounded by the number. Most of us were I suppose.
Someone asked me “If you had bought it for that amount what would you do with it?”
I said if I had 38 million to spend on a car I would drive the hell out of it.
Same for this gorgeous rig – if I had that much money to spend – if would be a driver !

August 21, 2014 2:41 pm

Kurt Ernstsays:

August 21, 2014 2:57 pm

Howard, “affordable” in Pebble Beach isn’t the same as “affordable” at other auctions, That said, my coverage of the Mecum sale (which will likely run tomorrow) includes a selection of cars priced below $10k, and I suspect my coverage of Russo and Steele will also include a few bargains.

shawnmcgillsays:

August 21, 2014 3:40 pm

Shilosays:

August 23, 2014 10:31 am

I love this car and all 275 GTB Ferrari’s. Not that long ago they were affordable. Now…..not so much. The sad thing is it will not be driven. If I had one I would HAVE to drive it. I would have to hear it run and change its gears and ……

Jack Sheasays:

August 9, 2016 11:51 am

Fram filters where fitted to Ferraris when they where considered one of the finest available, not anymore ! Baldwin now supplies them. Additionally they have anti drain back valves installed to prevent losing oil pressure on start up. Race bred V12’s had two filters. Preston was a big name back in the 70’s 80’s ,brought some beautiful Porsche’s to IMSA.